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Kansas City NWSL earned their first win Saturday night when they returned home to host the OL Reign. Rookie midfielder Victoria Pickett scored her first professional goal in the 73rd minute, and then fought as a team to prevent the Reign from a comeback.
OL Reign came into Kansas City as the hottest team in the league with three straight wins, outscoring opponents 9-1 in that span. It was also the first match for the return of Laura Harvey as manager for the Reign.
Kansas City came out working hard for their first win and did well limiting the Reign’s chances. “I thought we played well for most of the game, building momentum throughout the game,” Kansas City head coach Huw Williams told the media after the match.
Pickett’s 73rd minute goal came off a Kansas City set piece. Hailie Mace took the initial shot, but the ball deflected off the wall, defenders, and Pickett’s foot. She quickly followed it up and pounded a shot off of Reign keeper Sarah Bouhaddi and into the back of the net.
Pick that one out, @hellopickett‼️#KCvRGN | https://t.co/0LtSAUK1Jw | #NWSL21 pic.twitter.com/QsLO7K1Zql
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) August 15, 2021
Kansas City was missing team captain Rachel Corsie on defense but were still able to limit the Reign to a single shot on goal.
KC NWSL goes on the road to face North Carolina Courage on August 21st.
NWSL Match Report
Match: Kansas City NWSL vs OL Reign
Date: August 14, 2021
Venue: Legends Field, Kansas City, Kansas
Kickoff: 7:07 p.m. CT, 8:07 p.m. ET
Weather: 80 degrees, sunny
Attendance: 5,368
Discipline
27’ KC - K. Pickett (Yellow)
45’ + 2’ RGN - Cook (Yellow)
Scoring
73’ KC - V. Pickett (Mace)
Lineups:
Kansas City: Smith, Weber, Edmonds©, Ball, Pickett, K., Bowen (88’ Vincent), LaBonta, Pickett, V., McCain, Mace (83’ Silva), Hamilton (90’+5’ Miramontez)
Substitutes Not Used: Rowland, Del Fava, Vasconcelos, Larroquette, Jenkins, Hess
OL Reign: Bouhaddi, Barnes©, Hiatt, Cook, Celia (65’ Hammond), Le Sommer (34’ King), Balcer (65’ Angelina), Huerta, Weatherholt (76’ McNabb), Marozsán (76’ Cruz), Fishlock (86’ Pruitt)
Substitutes Not Used: Brooks, Cox, Tullis-Joyce